Influence of irradiation on the crystal structure and properties of clay minerals

Abstract

The influence of irradiation on the crystal structure and on properties of minerals is an important and for clay minerals up to now only insufficient investigated subject. The radiation-dependent changes of clay mineral properties are of great relevance, for example, in long-term nuclear waste management. Studies were made of the changes in physical and chemical properties of various clay minerals (e.g. kaolinite group, montmorillonite, illite) after ionizing irradiation. With spectroscopic and other methods structural changes (e.g. paramagnetic centres, crystallinity, charge density and distribution) and induced changes in the physicochemical properties (e.g. cation exchange capacity, aggregation behaviour) were investigated.

Author

Plötze, Michael